How They Feel
by OneAsBeautifulAsYou
Summary: This is a story about Alexa and Marco's relationship and how their feelings about each other grow and change. Spoiler alert for the newest book - Stargazer! Marco x Alexa COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1: Alexa's POV

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Land of Elyon series, the book Stargazer, or any of the characters in this fan fiction. The only thing I own is the plot.

**Author's Note:** If a section is surrounded I stars, it means that it is a quote from the book.

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Alexa's P.O.V.

Marco. When we first met, I was unconscious and he saved my life. The next time we saw each other was the next day, when Jonzey introduced us. I thought that he was a show-off and a jerk for being rude to Yipes. Marco didn't want me on the Five Stone Pillars, and he made that clear. From the first time he realized that I was there to take the people of the Five Stone Pillars back home to Elyon, Marco showed how much he disliked me.

After the night skim, when my rope was cut and I fell, I accused him of trying to kill me. I didn't trust him then.

When he followed me to the Fourth Pillar and we met Sir Alistair Wakefield, I felt like he was intruding and I didn't want him around. When he joined the crew of the Stargazer, I would have been happy to have anyone but him on the crew.

When we took our first flight, and Matilda cut the rope, I trusted Marco to follow my orders and steer the Stargazer away from the Fifth Pillar. He pulled through, and I had to admit that I had misjudged him.

When the fourth pillar was falling down, and I was trapped in the cave and about to die, I put my life in his hands. When I jumped, he caught me and he kept me safe. In that moment, *it felt like the whole world had fallen away. There was only the two of us and nothing else.* I didn't know what that feeling was, or what it meant.

Before the Stargazer and her crew left for the Tenth City, *I wasn't sure if Marco would be willing to go along with me and discover the world outside the Five Stone Pillars to test the Stargazer's worthiness. But I needed only to look at him standing beside the box and I knew in an instant that he, too, had found a greater purpose in life. He would be the lifeline between two places and I felt a certainty he would stay on with me. *

While we were travelling between the Pillars and the Tenth City, *Marco and I talked for hours on ends, often after we'd settled to float on the Lonely Sea for the night and everyone else had gone to sleep. He and I drifter closer together as * we flew, and I'm glad for it.

At Yipes and Matilda's wedding, *I skimmed with Marco - back and forth over and over again – until my shoulders ached* When Matilda threw the bouquet and I caught it, Marco teased me and asked me if I was going to settle down after all. I told him not to count on it, but *something stirred in me that made me wonder if he was right. We were young and free and we had important work to do, but somehow I could imagine the two of us, old and gray, landing the Stargazer in the Sly Field and walking together into the Tenth City. *

Every night, including tonight, on our many journeys with the Stargazer, we stay up talking and laughing. Marco is now one of my best friends. I would gladly trust him with my life, because I know that he would never hurt me. I didn't know how I felt about him until right now, but I can finally put my feelings into words. After all that we have been through together, I think that I am falling in love with Marco. I only wish I knew how he feels about me.

**A/N: There, first chapter finished! What do you think?**


	2. Chapter 2: Marco's POV

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait between updates. School has been crazy-busy and I have and the worst case of writer's block ever known to mankind. Thanks to Bubbly131 for the great chapter idea! You get a cookie!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the land of Elyon. I do, however, own this fanfiction.**

**Marco P.O.V.**

The_ Stargazer_ is resting for the night on a huge lake. I am the only one still awake. For some reason, I can't sleep. Alexa is so tired that she fell asleep next to me, her head on my chest. Every night, we stay up late talking and laughing. It's hard to believe that when I first met her I hated her, but it's true – I hated her.

When Alexa arrived at the Stone Pillars, I had to save her life. She was on a boat, being attacked by a sea monster. I, being one of the best skimmers on the island, had to skim down and grab her before the monster did. I succeeded.

The next day, when Jonzey introduced us, I learned why she was at the Stone Pillars. I half wished that I hadn't saved her. She came to the Five Stone Pillars to take us all home to the Land of Elyon, but I didn't want to leave. I hated her for it. I wanted life to stay the same. I also learned that she was friends with Yipes, a man that Matilda had saved from the wreck. I didn't like him much.

I showed her how much I hate her, and she showed me that she hated me as well. A few nights later, there was a night skim. I entered, of course, but so did Alexa. I won my division, but learned after the skim that Alexa's rope had been cut. She blamed me for it, and accused me of trying to kill her. I hated her, but even so, I would never do something as dangerous as that.

The next few days, I noticed her sneaking around, so I decided to follow her. She went to the bridge to the fourth pillar, a place that was forbidden. I followed her. On the fourth pillar, we met Sir Alistair Wakefield, of all people. He was thought to have died years ago.

Sir Alistair Wakefield showed us a balloon that he had been building, and made me a part of the crew. I wonder how he knew how much I love the feeling of flying. That's why I love skimming so much – when I skim, I feel like I'm flying. My job was to pedal the balloon, which I happily accepted. Alexa was not too happy about that. She tried to convince Sir Alistair that Matilda would be better than me, desperate to get me off of the crew of the _Stargazer_.

Then it came time for the first flight. Everything was going well, until Matilda cut the rope. The _Stargazer_ was going out to crash into the side of the Fifth Pillar. Alexa took control, and gave me her orders. She trusted me enough to follow them, which I did without question. We pulled through, and even Alexa admitted that I did well.

The final test of my loyalty to the _Stargazer, _and more importantly her captain, was when the fourth pillar was falling down. Instead of steering the Stargazer to safety as i could have done at the cost of Alexa's life, I left my post at the _Stargazer_'s pedals, grabbed a vine and jumped over the side of the balloon. The only thing that was going through my mind was, "Please Elyon, let me reach her. Please Elyon let me get there in time."

She put her life in my hands. I could easily have dropped her, but she trusted me to catch her, and to keep her safe. She threw herself off of the pillar, and crashed into me. I caught her, and held her as we swung from the vine, the pillar crashing around us.

I looked into her eyes and something happened. I felt like the world had disappeared. Like it was only us two, and nobody else. I was like nothing I had ever felt before, and i wished it would never end.

After all of the danger was over, and Abbadon was dead, Alexa explained the purpose of the _Stargazer_. When we were debating who would go on the trip to the Tenth City, I could tell that Alexa was uncertain about something. She looked into my eyes, and I felt certain that I would follow her to the ends of the Earth and back, wherever she went. I would be a part of the lifeline between two places, and I would never leave her.

Every night, tonight included, we talked and laughed on the Stargazer, long after everyone else is asleep. We drifted closer every night we talked, growing more and more comfortable with each other – she is now my best friend. I don't think I have ever seen Alexa so happy as when we are on the Stargazer, travelling the world.

When we arrived back at the Pillars, and started preparing for Yipes and Matilda's wedding, I saw less of Alexa. She was busy preparing for the wedding. At the ceremony, we skimmed back and forth, over and over, together. I was in heaven. She caught the bouquet that Matilda threw, and I teased her about it, asking her if she was going to settle down after all.

It was all in fun, but I still wanted to know the answer, and was for some reason disappointed when she told me not to count on it. I had had this vision, that we would sail the skies in the Stargazer together until we were old and grey, and then, when we had had enough of life, we would set the _Stargazer_ down outside the Tenth City and walk through the gates to eternity together.

It was after the wedding, when we were travelling the skies in the _Stargazer_ again, that I finally realized why I had been so disappointed. I love her. She is way too good for me, yet I continue to fall in love with her. I love my best friend, who has no clue that I have any sort of feelings for her at all. She will never like someone like me in any way other than like a brother. The only thing I can do is wait, and hope that she doesn't fall in love with some other guy.

**A/N: YAY!! Second chapter finished! Marco's POV was a little harder to do, but I really enjoyed exploring his feelings and thoughts. The next chapter will probably be up by next weekend – March Break!!!!! Xoxo, Sunny**


	3. Chapter 3: Neutral POV

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Land of Elyon, only this fanfiction.**

**A/N: Cookies go to Bubbly131 who came up with this brilliant idea that solved my worst-case-ever-known-to-man of writers block. Sorry about the late update! School has been getting to me and making me even busier than usual. Exams are coming and I really need to study, so this will probably be my last update until June, unless I can find the time to write another chapter.**

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The Stargazer was resting for the night on a giant lake by Castalia. Marco and Alexa were up late every night, way after everyone else was sleep. They talked every night, crawling into bed hours after everyone else. Alexa was so tired that instead of crawling back into bed, she fell asleep leaning against Marco, resting in his arms. At first Marco was a bit uncomfortably, but then he relaxed, and ended up falling asleep as well.

When the teens woke up in the morning, everyone had been up for hours already. The crew had seen the two teens resting in each others arms, looking peaceful, so they had let them sleep while they prepared the _Stargazer_ to fly. Marco was the first to wake up. He remembered what happened and blushed, but didn't move in case it woke her up. Instead, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her lying in his arms. A few minutes later, Alexa woke up.

Alexa was confused as to why she wasn't in her bed. She realized that she must have fallen asleep while talking to Marco because she was asleep in his arms. She was embarrassed, and blushed furiously when she realized that in her sleep, she had somehow managed to end up in Marco's arms. Alexa got up very carefully so that she wouldn't wake him up. She looked at him for a minute and went to check on the flying preparations. Alexa didn't know that Marco was awake, and had been the entire time.

A few minutes later, Marco got up and walked over to where the rest of the crew was waiting. "I'm ready to pedal if everyone is ready to go." he said, and got into his seat at the pedals of the _Stargazer_.

"We're ready." Alexa replied as she finished up the loading of the ship. She looked back at the crowd around the lake. "We'll be back in a few weeks, goodbye everyone!"

The _Stargazer_ took to the skies, flying away from the lake at Castalia and on towards Bridewell. That night, as usual, Marco and Alexa stayed up. Unlike all the other times when they had done this, they were a bit uncomfortable with each other, and ended up not saying anything at all to each other. After not even half the time they usually stay up, they decided to go to sleep.

It took Alexa a long time to fall asleep. As she lay there, waiting for sleep to come over her, she thought about Marco. He had acted strange all through the day, and Alexa had no clue why. Every time she had looked at him, he quickly turned his head away and focused on the pedals as if they were the most interesting thing he had ever seen. This upset Alexa, because she considered Marco one of her best friends.

Alexa decided that, starting the next day, she would pretend that nothing had happened. She hoped that it would solve the problem. Alexa finally drifted off to sleep, listening to the breathing of the _Stargazer_'s crew.

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**A/N: Sorry about the short chapter - essays and tests and projects have been slowly piling up on me... xox Sunny**


	4. Chapter 4: Marco's POV

**A/N: Hi y'all! It's been ages, hasn't it? Sorry for the long wait – I've been at camp and stuff. No excuses. Don't worry; the next pause between updates will be much, much shorter. Hope you like it!  
xox Sunny**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Land of Elyon series.**

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Marco P.O.V.

The next morning, Alexa acted as if nothing had happened. She woke up and immediately began preparing for the first leg of the _Stargazer_'s journey to Bridewell. The _Stargazer_ was packed full of people and supplies, travelling from Castalia to Bridewell, by way of the Northern Kingdoms and Ainsworth.

"Everyone! For those of you who have just come on board, our first stop will be at the edge of the Northern Kingdoms. We will then be continuing on to Ainsworth, flying over the Great Ravine and into Lunenburg." Alexa said, addressing the people as the captain of the _Stargazer_. "From there we will go to Bridewell and, either to Turlock or Lathbury. Our journey will take a week, if the winds allow, and we should be able to return to Castalia from Bridewell in two or three weeks. We will stop and land the _Stargazer_ every night so that we can rest, and will continue the journey in the mornings, as we have done for the past few days. Thank you." Alexa turned around and went back to work.

When the Stargazer was ready to take to the air again, she asked Phylo and Yipes to loosen the ropes. Although Phylo had been reunited with his mother in Castalia on the _Stargazer_'s maiden voyage, he still liked to come on some the trips the _Stargazer_ made. Yipes was married to Matilda, but he still came on a few trips. Alexa turned towards me.

"Marco, can you take the pedals? I need you to steer us up straight." She asked. I was surprised by the change in Alexa's attitude and the lack of the awkwardness that had hung in the air between them, but immediately followed her orders, settling into the seat and starting to pedal. The winds were good, so I didn't have that difficult of a job steering according to Alexa's orders. Instead, I kept sneaking looks at Alexa. She was talking to one of the boys that they had picked up at Castalia.

The boy said something, and Alexa laughed. I felt a sudden surge of jealousy. How was it that some random boy that they barely knew could make Alexa laugh with such ease – could make her like him so easily – when it had taken weeks for Marco to gain her friendship and trust? I looked back at the pedals and sighed.

"Who am I kidding?" I asked myself. "Of course she would trust him. I'm not good enough to be Alexa's friend, let alone anything more. I'm lucky she chooses to even acknowledge my existence." I sighed again. I heard a laugh and looked up to see Yipes looking at me.

"What?" I asked, wary of the look on Yipes' face. It was the look he had on when he was plotting something.

"You like her, don't you?" Yipes asked, a knowing smile on his face.

"Who?" I asked him, feigning confusion.

"Alexa."

"What?! No! I mean - yes, but –" I spluttered, looking quickly at Alexa to make sure she hadn't heard anything. She was still talking to the same boy.

"Right. You totally don't like her. That's why you've been staring at her all morning and why you look like you're about to murder the boy she's talking to." Yipes said, smirking even more.

"I don't!" I protested.

"You do, but that's ok. If anyone deserves her, it's you."

"Ok, now I know you're making fun of me. I'm the last person in the world who deserves her. She is beautiful and smart and kind." I said. "She and the Stargazer are made for each other – both tough as stone, but still gentle somehow. I could never deserve her." Yipes burst out laughing.

"It's worse than I thought! You don't like her – you love her!" Yipes was rolling over laughing "When did this happen?" I just glared at him, trying to find a way to kill him without Alexa noticing. "Fine, but let me give you some advice. Don't let her go."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Yipes said, climbing up one of the ropes and disappearing. I looked back at Alexa. She had stopped talking to the boy and was leaning on the edge of the box looking around at the darkening skies.

"Marco, Yipes, Phylo. It's getting dark and I don't like the look of those clouds ahead. I think that we should stop soon and settle in for the night. Could you guys prepare to land? Try to aim for that clearing in the forest at the edge of Mount Laythen." Alexa said, turning around. "We're making great time. At this rate, we should make it back to Castalia in a minimum 11 days."

"Sure thing Alexa." I said, already beginning to pedal. He carefully steered the _Stargazer_ down towards the clearing. The ship went down without difficulty, and Yipes and Phylo were easily able to tie it down for the night. They made a fire and everyone sat down around it and ate some of the food they brought along. When they had finished and cleared up the food everyone settled in for the night.

Alexa and I once again found ourselves awake after everyone else had fallen asleep. We sat leaning against the outside of the box of the _Stargazer_. Instead of the awkwardness of the past few days, the silence between us was a more comfortable silence that fell between pauses in the conversation.

"Hey Marco, what were you and Yipes talking about earlier? He looked like he was about to die laughing." Alexa said, tilting her head.

"Nothing. He was being silly and jumping to false conclusions." I said quickly.

"Which were?"

"Nothing." I said sharply. "What were you talking about with that boy we picked up in Castalia? It looked like you were about to fall out of the box."

"Ha ha, very funny Marco. He was asking me how long the trip to Bridewell was going to take. Can you believe that he thought we would be able to be there and back in 2 or 3 days? That's what I was laughing about." Alexa said, shaking her head, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "We've become friends, of a sort. Why? Were you jealous?"

"No."

"You were! You were jealous!" Alexa laughed "Ha!"

"I wasn't jealous! I just don't want you to let down your guard. Even though Abbadon is dead, there are still people and things loyal to him." Marco said quickly.

"Right. I'm so sure." Alexa said sarcastically.

"Fine. I was jealous! So what? I was jealous that he could gain your friendship so easily when you hated me on sight, even after you knew that I had saved your life." Marco said, frustrated and angry. "I was jealous that he could so quickly gain your trust when I had to work so hard for you to even believe that I had no wish to kill you."

"Marco, I-" Alexa said, reaching out towards him.

"Never mind." Marco said, stalking off. He walked to where he had laid out his stuff and lay down, his back to Alexa.

"Great" Alexa whispered to herself "Now look what you've done, girl. Can't you ever do anything right?"

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A/N: There we are! How was it? Drop me a review with your suggestions if you want!  
xox Sunny


	5. Chapter 5: Alexa's POV

**A/N: Hi! I went up to my cottage with my family, and there was no internet, even though my parents had been assured me there was. Sorry. This is the last chapter of this fanfiction. Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed it.  
xox Sunny**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Land of Elyon, or anything you can recognize from the books, I only own the plot.**

**Alexa POV**

The next morning, Marco was avoiding me. He went out of his way to make sure we didn't interact.

"Marco, please talk to me." I begged him, grabbing his arm. I was desperate for him to listen. I hadn't meant to ridicule him. I didn't know.

"I have nothing further to say to you." Marco said stiffly and angrily.

"Then just listen to me. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Please let me explain."

"No. Just go back to your _boyfriend_ and leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you." He shouted, jerking his arm out of my grasp.

"For the last time, he's not my boyfriend. He's _so_ not my type. And fine. I will." I screamed, turning on my hell and stalking off. I threw myself onto the ground and buried my head in my hands.

"Alexa, what is it?" Yipes asked, walking up behind me. "What's wrong?"

"Everything." I said, my voice muffled by my tears. "I just completely messed things up with Marco, just as we were finally working things out. And the worst part is, I think I may be falling in love with him."

"Shhh. It's alright. Everything will be fine. I promise."

"How do you know?"

"I just know." Yipes said confidently. "He would never let you go."

Yipes stayed with me while I cried, comforting me. When I was finally ready to go back to the _Stargazer_, he went with me. As soon as he saw me, he turned away from me.

"Oh for goodness sakes!" Yipes shouted. Marco and I looked at him in surprise. "Alexa, Marco has liked you for ages – since he joined the crew of the Stargazer. Marco, Alexa completely reciprocates those feelings. Now please, stop arguing and skirting around each other!" He continued, throwing hands in the air. With that, he left Marco and I alone together. We stood there in uncomfortable silence, staring at each other.

"Is it true Marco? What Yipes said?" I asked shyly, blushing furiously.

"Well, yeah." He admitted, looking down. "What about what he said about you?" He looked back up, desperately staring at me.

"Yeah." I said, my flush deepening. "It is."

Marco took a step forward, and pulled me into his arms. "But I thought for sure you loved that other boy, the one from Castalia." He said, leaning his cheek on the top of my head.

"Him? Never. I already told you he isn't my type at all." I replied, waving my hand dismissively.

"What about me?" He asked, pulling away so that I could see his face. His eyes were sparkling mischievously. "Am I your type?"

"You are exactly my type" I replied, leaning up, taking his face in my hands and kissing him.

And everything was perfect.

We spent the rest of our lives together, travelling the skies in the Stargazer. We fell more and more in love with each other. Don't get me wrong, we had our fair share of fights, but we always made up.

After four years of sailing the skies together, when I was 18 and he was 19, Marco asked me to marry him, and I agreed. We got married on the Third Pillar, where Yipes and Matilda had married years before. Everyone was there, and it was perfect.

We had children, but we still flew the skies, taking our many children with us. We had found our place, just as I was sure each and every one of my children would find theirs, whether it be on land, on water, or in the air.

When our time was at an end, and our work done, Marco and I took one last trip on the _Stargazer_. We flew to the Tenth City and walked through the gates together, just as I had imagined so long ago.

**A/N: Drop me a review with your comments and stuff. **

**xox Sunny**


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